


Second Chances

by gaki



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Kakashi is fed up, M/M, Slice of Life, caretaker!Kakashi, what if sasunaru had someone who cared for them when their parents died - an AU, will add more as i go along - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-11-09 11:55:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20853020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaki/pseuds/gaki
Summary: It took Kakashi three months to ask.“What about the baby?”orAU where Kakashi see how Naruto is neglected as a baby and as a Person With A Conscience he decides to take him in.





	Second Chances

It took Kakashi three months to ask. Three whole months. After the death of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki Kakashi had been devastated. Once again his important people died as he failed to protect them. Lost in his emotions he looked for someone other than himself to blame and settled on the Third. In reality it was Danzō who’d been trying to manipulate him to turn against the Hokage, which had worked at first. It took a while to get that whole mess sorted and so three months later when things calmed down, he finally had time to think. Or really he’d prefer it if he didn’t because that meant all the self loathing came crashing down on him again. But that’s when he realized he still hadn’t asked. 

“What happened to the baby?”

He was alone with the Hokage in his office after leaving a mission report when the question struck him. At first the Third looked taken aback, like he too had forgotten to ask this vital question. But then he gave Kakashi a smile, which didn’t reach his eyes. 

“Ah, you mean Naruto? The boy is under my protection and he lives with a caretaker.” 

Kakashi blinked. “Oh.” 

He didn’t know what to say, what had he expected? To not seem stupid he asked the first thing that came to mind. 

“Who’s his caretaker?” 

When he’d finished the question he figured it was actually a pretty valid one. Only a few people knew the whole story about Naruto and even fewer would want to take care of him. At this though the smile seemed to slip slightly from the Third’s face. 

“...She’s a civilian. She has a lot of experience of taking care of children so you don’t have to worry.” the Third answered tersely.

Kakashi frowned. 

“But the baby- Naruto. He’s not _like_ other children. He’s a jinchūriki.” 

The fake smile was back as the Third replied. 

“The Kyuubi is safely sealed, he’s not a danger to anyone.” 

Kakashi’s frown only deepened, that’s not what he meant.

“Yes  _ I _ know that, but does the caretaker? And the Kyuubi destroyed half the village, people won’t just forget that. I’ve heard how they’re talking about Naruto too, calling him a demon child or-“ 

“Enough!” 

Kakashi who’d been raising his voice throughout his speech snapped his mouth shut. He stared in shock at the man who was usually the epitome of calm. The Third’s glare faltered at seeing Kakashi’s face and he sighed instead. 

“This matter has been dealt with. Leave it.” 

Kakashi opened his mouth to argue but at the Third’s pointed look he thought better of it. Arguing with the Hokage was never a smart option. Although, Kakashi thought with a pang in his heart, he used to do it a lot with the Fourth. At the reminder of his old mentor Kakashifelt the need to ask one last thing.

“Can I see him?” 

The Third started to reply but before he could Kakashi continued with a strained voice, “I was supposed to protect her.” He stared pleadingly at the Third, willing him to  _understand_. “I promised Minato-sensei I would protect her, but I failed. At the very least let me make sure their son is safe.” Kakashi didn’t know why it felt so important to him. He had completely forgotten about Naruto for the last three months yet now he had an extreme urge to see him as soon as possible. 

For a moment the Third seemed like he was about to give in. But then he hardened the look in his eyes again. 

“No.” 

“But-“

“I have already warned you once tonight boy. Leave it.” His voice left absolutely no room for argue this time. There was something cold resting on the Third’s usually kind face and Kakashi suppressed a shiver. Seeing Kakashi wasn’t going to argue again the coldness seemed to slip away replaced by an heavy weariness. He once again looked like the old man Kakashi was used to seeing. It all happened so quickly he almost doubted for a second whether the dark energy he’d felt had just been his imagination. 

“If that’s all you are dismissed.”

Although they both knew the Third was ignoring that Kakashi had more to say on the matter Kakashi played along. He gave a quick nod in acknowledgment and flickered away. 

The rest of the evening his conversation with the Hokage involuntarily replayed in his mind. No matter how much he tried to ignore it, something felt disturbingly amiss. Why was the Third so insistent that he couldn’t see Naruto? What was he hiding? What started as one question had turned into many more instead. As he lay awake in his bed, staring at the ceiling, he thought again of his mentor and his wife with the fiery red hair. When he closes his eyes he sees how her otherwise fierce expression melts when talking softly to her stomach, to the baby inside. Naruto. 

He opened his eyes again, this time with a new resolution in his heart. 

He has to find Naruto.

**Author's Note:**

> hello!!!
> 
> it’s so weird to be on this side of things, i’ve been reading fics for years but this is the first time i’ve started writing one. 😳 
> 
> i wrote this in a few hours and am posting it right after so sorry for any spelling and grammar mistakes. this was really fun and i’ve got a lot planned already so im looking forward to continuing it!! as it is my first work, please leave kudos, follow and/or comment if you liked it ☺️
> 
> the caretaker!Kakashi idea was inspired by @eh_probably_not’s Heaven in Hiding.


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